2020 Graduate Salary Guide: How Much Do Top Chinese Tech Giants Pay?

The article compiles 2020 graduate salary data for 12 leading Chinese internet companies (Tencent, Alibaba, Baidu, Meituan, ByteDance, Didi, Huawei, Pinduoduo, Kuaishou, NetEase, JD.com, Xiaomi), based on autumn and spring recruitment offers from sources such as Zhihu, Maimai, and OfferShow.

Tencent

Algorithm: ordinary offer around 340,000 CNY, SP offer about 420,000 CNY, SSP offer 500,000 CNY+ (including signing bonus and stock). Development salaries are similar, with ordinary offers between 280,000 CNY and 340,000 CNY. Product offers range from 240,000 CNY to 260,000 CNY (ordinary) and 310,000 CNY–340,000 CNY (SP). Market offers are about 220,000 CNY (ordinary) and 310,000 CNY (SP). Design ordinary offers are around 240,000 CNY, SP offers about 340,000 CNY.

Alibaba

Technical (development and algorithm) A‑grade ordinary offers are 272,000 CNY–342,000 CNY; A+‑grade offers average 560,000 CNY (some reach 700,000 CNY–800,000 CNY). Product offers are slightly higher than Tencent’s, with ordinary offers at 272,000 CNY–288,000 CNY and A+ offers at 320,000 CNY. Design offers range from 272,000 CNY to 352,000 CNY.

Baidu

Algorithm ordinary offers are 255,000 CNY–285,000 CNY; SP offers about 340,000 CNY; SSP offers 450,000 CNY+. Development ordinary offers are 215,000 CNY–285,000 CNY (most around 250,000 CNY); SP offers about 340,000 CNY. Product ordinary offers are around 210,000 CNY, SP offers about 300,000 CNY.

Meituan

Algorithm ordinary offers are about 340,000 CNY; SP offers around 400,000 CNY; SSP (Beidou plan) offers exceed 550,000 CNY. Development ordinary offers range 280,000 CNY–310,000 CNY, SP offers 320,000 CNY–400,000 CNY. Product ordinary offers are 240,000 CNY–270,000 CNY. Design offers are around 220,000 CNY.

ByteDance

Algorithm and development ordinary offers are 350,000 CNY–370,000 CNY (including housing subsidy); SP offers total about 440,000 CNY; SSP offers exceed 550,000 CNY. Product ordinary offers are 250,000 CNY–290,000 CNY, SP offers 300,000 CNY–380,000 CNY. Design offers are 180,000 CNY–230,000 CNY; market offers are about 220,000 CNY. ByteDance also provides overtime pay (1.2× weekend rates).

Didi

Algorithm ordinary offers are 315,000 CNY; SP offers 345,000 CNY–435,000 CNY. Development ordinary offers are 285,000 CNY–315,000 CNY; SP offers 345,000 CNY–390,000 CNY. Product offers are 240,000 CNY–270,000 CNY. Design and market offers are around 200,000 CNY. Overall, Didi’s graduate salaries are average.

Huawei

Algorithm ordinary offers are 250,000 CNY–320,000 CNY; SP offers 360,000 CNY–450,000 CNY; SSP offers exceed 500,000 CNY. Development ordinary offers are 240,000 CNY or 272,000 CNY; SP offers 288,000 CNY–320,000 CNY; SSP offers 350,000 CNY–450,000 CNY. Market offers range 220,000 CNY–280,000 CNY. Hardware engineer ordinary offers are about 250,000 CNY, SP offers over 300,000 CNY.

Pinduoduo

Technical (algorithm and development) ordinary offers are 420,000 CNY–520,000 CNY; SP offers around 550,000 CNY; SSP offers about 600,000 CNY. Product ordinary offers are 240,000 CNY–256,000 CNY, SP offers up to 342,000 CNY. Design offers range 220,000 CNY–300,000 CNY; market offers 220,000 CNY–290,000 CNY. The company is known for high salaries but also heavy overtime (11/11/6 schedule).

Kuaishou

Algorithm ordinary offers are 350,000 CNY–420,000 CNY; SP offers around 500,000 CNY; SSP offers exceed 650,000 CNY. Development ordinary offers are 290,000 CNY–370,000 CNY; SP offers about 420,000 CNY; SSP offers over 500,000 CNY. Product ordinary offers are around 280,000 CNY; SP offers 320,000 CNY–380,000 CNY. Design offers are about 220,000 CNY.

NetEase

Algorithm ordinary offers are about 320,000 CNY; SP offers around 400,000 CNY; SSP offers exceed 500,000 CNY. Development ordinary offers are 250,000 CNY–280,000 CNY; SP offers about 340,000 CNY. Product offers range 210,000 CNY–280,000 CNY. Design offers are 200,000 CNY–250,000 CNY; market offers are 180,000 CNY–200,000 CNY.

JD.com

Algorithm ordinary offers are about 320,000 CNY; SP offers 380,000 CNY; SSP offers 420,000 CNY. Development ordinary offers are 250,000 CNY–280,000 CNY; SP offers around 340,000 CNY. Product offers are 210,000 CNY–250,000 CNY; SP offers about 280,000 CNY. Design offers range 220,000 CNY–290,000 CNY.

Xiaomi

Algorithm ordinary offers are around 320,000 CNY; SP offers 360,000 CNY–400,000 CNY; SSP offers exceed 600,000 CNY. Development offers range 250,000 CNY–320,000 CNY. Product ordinary offers are 220,000 CNY–250,000 CNY; SP offers about 280,000 CNY. Hardware engineer offers are about 250,000 CNY.

Overall, Pinduoduo offers the highest graduate salaries, followed by ByteDance and Kuaishou, then the traditional giants Tencent, Alibaba, and Meituan, with varying overtime practices across companies.